And Then There Were Four
by Topazwolf
Summary: !!Ch 2 up!! Roger adopts his niece, who has been recently orphaned. How will the Smith house function with its new guest? R/D in later chapters please r/r PG-13 for suicide themes
1. Default Chapter

**A/N:** This is my first Big O fic.  I happened to catch the show on Cartoon Network a few weeks ago and now I'm obsessed with it. It's a really awesome show and really original. Anyway, this little plot bunny hopped into my odd little head a while ago and I decided to give it a try. It's unlikely, but a little different than the norm. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** No characters or places belong to me. They are too great for the likes of me 

J

**Notes:** Italics are Roger's narration

          _Things had been running smoothly for once. No killer Mega Deuces, no kidnappings, minimal death threats. But things never stay calm for long._

          Roger eased the Griffon out of the driveway. He realized how odd it was to have someone other than Dorothy in the front seat beside him. He glanced over at the girl. Her blue eyes were troubled and her long black hair framed a pale frowning face.

          "So, Gwyndolen, I'm sorry I never got the chance to know you before," he said awkwardly.

          "Please, just call me Gwyn. It is a shame I couldn't have known my only uncle until now," she forced a smile for him. Her voice was soft, but distinct, the kind people strained to listen to because every word she uttered was a privilege to the ears.

          _I got a call that afternoon. It was Paradigm Orphanage. They said that they needed me to come down and speak with them. It seemed that I had a niece. I only had one brother and he had died fifteen years ago. He had been much older than me and we hadn't been close, when I was still a child my father disowned him I knew he was married, but I had no idea that he had a child. _

"Your brother, Daniel Smith, died a year after his daughter was born," the Orphanage Director told Roger. "His wife, Arianna, raised the child alone, she had no living relatives, recently she died in a car accident, orphaning her sixteen year old daughter." Here the Director paused and sighed. "Gwyndolen does not know of you, Mr. Smith, and I do not want you to feel obligation to take her into your home, but it is required by law that we contact any living relative. You are the only one." Roger nodded, this was all a little shocking to him, he had assumed he had no living relatives. Despite himself, he was curious about this girl.

          "Is there anyway I can meet her first?" Roger asked the man sensibly.

          "Well, yes and no, you can observe her, but unless you do intend on adopting her, then we discourage direct conversation," the Director looked sympathetic, but Roger was nodding.

          "I'll observe her then," he told the shorter man.

          "Come with me then," the Director led him to a large room. Tables ran lengthwise across it. Girls ranging from ages six to sixteen were scattered across the room. The younger ones were playing games and the older girls were talking amongst themselves. "This is the girls' free time." The Director explained. "We keep the boys and girls separate most of the time." Roger looked across the noisy room; no one had taken notice of them. "Gwyndolen is over there in the window sill." Roger followed the man's pointing finger and saw her. She was gazing out the window at the buildings and street below. She seemed oblivious to the noise around her. Her hair, as black as Roger's, hung down to the middle of her back and ended in large loose curls at the end. "She's a bit of a loner, really. Most of the children stay to themselves when they first come here, it's understandable considering what some of the have been through, but most are able to relate to the others because of similar circumstances. They are able to console each other, but she seems to reject all the others." The Director shook his head sadly, but Roger continued to watch the girl. Two girls, about ten, started fighting over a doll. Gwyndolen looked over at them from her window and went to them. After a second of talking to the girls, they nodded and one girl walked off with the doll, while the other sat down to wait patiently. Gwyndolen went back to her window. Roger smiled to himself, maybe he had something in common with this girl after all; she seemed do well at negotiating also.

_          Gwyn and I were greatly similar, I discovered, we even looked alike. She could have been my daughter. We had the same black hair and smile. Even our personalities paralleled. We both could negotiate, and seemed alone in a crowd. She even liked wearing black. Three days after meeting with the Director I came back to meet with Gwyndolen._

          "Roger Smith, my uncle," she mused, after meeting with Roger and exchanging introductions. "It's nice to meet you."

          "You too. I know that we've just met, but I would like to get to know you better. You are more than welcome in my home, but if you would rather stay here, then that is also fine, any option is open to you," he told her.

          "The people here have been so nice to me, but I just don't fit in. Perhaps I will fare better with you. I will go with you," she told him, and gave him a small smile that lit up her face. Roger smiled back.

_          I signed all the adoption papers and assured Gwyn that she could come back any time, but form what she told me, I doubted se would be returning. I told her about Dorothy and Norman, but I chose not to tell her about Big O until I knew her better._

          "Gwyn, this is Norman, my butler and friend," Gwyn and Norman shook hands.

          "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Smith," Norman said politely.

          "Likewise, Norman."

          "And this," Roger said turning to the redheaded android, "is R. Dorothy Wayneright, whom words do not describe." Roger had told Gwyn about Dorothy being an android, but it didn't seem to faze her. He hoped that having another woman in the house would help Gwyn adapt better. Then again, Dorothy wasn't the warmest person.

          "Hello Gwyndolen Smith," Dorothy said in her usual monotone.

          "Its Gwyn, please, both of you. And I'm so glad to meet you," Gwyn shook Dorothy's hand. Gwyn stood only and inch shorter than Dorothy, but they had the same slender build.

          "I'll show you around Gwyn," Roger smiled at them and took his niece on a tour of his large home. She was confused, but did manage to remember the way to her room, which to her delight opened out onto the balcony. 

          _It was a little awkward at first. Gwyn didn't quite know where she belonged. She wasn't a servant, but didn't feel confident enough to search the house and find something to amuse herself. She seemed to like Dorothy, and unlike myself, looked forward to her morning wake-up call. She would watch the android from a corner of the room, in awe. Dorothy did seem to accept the girl, but didn't go out of her way. Gwyn only spoke of her mother once._

Dorothy opened her door; she had heard running footsteps outside. They were too light to be Roger's or Norman's, which made her even more curious, she didn't know why Gwyn would be running through the house in the middle of the night. She saw a black nightgown identical to hers disappear around the corner. Dorothy followed her, she was a little wary of the girl. She still didn't trust this secret relative, no matter how much she looked and acted like Roger. She found Gwyn in the kitchen kneeling on the floor. She was sobbing loudly and held a large knife in her hands; she placed the sharp blade against her wrist and started to drag the blade upward drawing an alarming amount of blood. Dorothy rushed over and wrenched the knife from the girl's hands. Gwyn looked up at her with her troubled eyes, tears running down her face. She clutched her arm to her chest, blood soaking into the black night gown. Dorothy was surprised, but knew that she had to act fast, she grabbed a towel and make a makeshift tourniquet and wrapped up the wound.

          "Gwyn, why did you do this? Did you not know it would kill you?" Dorothy inquired, trying to stop the blood.

          "I knew. I just want…I miss my mother so much, its so hard without her," she broke into sobs again," Dorothy had managed to stanch the blood, thankfully the wound wasn't deep, but she didn't know how to stop the girl's inner pain.

          "I understand. If you had died and your mother still lived, you imagine that she would be feeling the same pain?" Dorothy asked, but continued without answer. "You would not want her to die and increase the pain, so why should you die because of her? If she can see you now it hurts her to think that you would die." Dorothy struggled through the words; she really didn't know what to say. Gwyn looked at her through tear filled eyes. Then she grabbed on to Dorothy like she was the only thing holding her to this world. Startled, Dorothy sat there beside the girl for a moment before hugging her back. She didn't understand the emotions inside her at the moment, but she knew they were important. In time the girl fell asleep and Dorothy carried her back to bed. 

_          Dorothy told me what happened, and Gwyn never spoke of her mother again, but sometimes she would lay on the balcony and stair up at the stars, like she was searching for something among the twinkling diamonds that she would never find. I believe she was thinking of her mother at those times. As spring turned into summer the relationship between Gwyn and Dorothy grew._

"Gwyn, you don't have to stand all the way over there," Dorothy said one morning as she played a fast and lively melody on the piano. Gwyn blushed and came closer.

          "It's beautiful," she said as she watched Dorothy's fingers draw the music from the large instrument.

          "Do you want to learn?" Dorothy almost surprised herself. She knew it would take much patience to train someone to play the piano.   

          "Yes! I would love to, if you want to teach me," Gwyn smiled. Dorothy smiled back, happy at the younger girl's enthusiasm.

          "Alright, sit beside me. Now on a piano there are the same eight notes that repeat over and over, going from low to high. Each set of eight is called an octave. Those are the white keys," Dorothy pointed everything out as she went along.

          Gwyn learned fast and occasionally Roger would awaken to the simple imperfect tunes that Gwyn produced. Roger began to actually enjoying hearing how much she had improved each week. He did not require that she wear black, but she had insisted and so she normally wore a plain black dress that reached her knees and had no sleeves, because it was so hot during the summer. Gwyn had also taken to exploring Roger's lavish home. One afternoon, while walking through the back yard she found, to her great delight, a pool. She asked Roger for the chemicals to clean it, which he happily supplied, along with a bright blue bathing suit, as a joke. Soon the pool was clean and Gwyn wore her bright blue bathing suit. Norman was shocked when he saw something other than black clothing in the hallways, but soon became accustomed to it. Gwyn loved to swim. 

_          I had never used the pool. I wasn't a very good swimmer and I felt ridiculous splashing around in the water, but Gwyn never looked ridiculous. She moved gracefully anyway, but it was nothing compared to her body in the water. I would watch her swim sometimes. It was amazing how alive she came beneath the water. She twisted and moved through it like it was more natural to her then walking. She would dive sometimes, making the transition from land to water perfectly. She never seemed to be unsure when she was swimming, each move looked as if she had planned it, but at the same time natural._

"Why does she do that?" Dorothy asked Roger one day as they watched Gwyn from the balcony.

          "Swim? I suppose because she enjoys it," Roger told the android.

          "It reminds me of my music and how it flows together," Dorothy told him. He nodded.

          "I suspect it is much the same." Dorothy looked thoughtful for a moment before leaving. Roger saw her walk out to the pool.

          "Dorothy!" Gwyn exclaimed, putting her hands on the pool and pulling herself gracefully out.

          "Gwyn, why do you like to swim so much?" Dorothy asked, taking in the younger girl's dripping wet form and bright bathing suit. Gwyn smiled.

          "It just feels right to me. It's like a whole different world under the water, and it feels like velvet on your skin," Gwyn looked thoughtful. "I don't really know how to explain, I guess it's like you playing the piano." Dorothy nodded. "Hey, maybe I could teach you to swim, since you are teaching me to play the piano!" Dorothy shook her head.

          "I'm too heavy," Dorothy told the girl. Gwyn laughed and looked puzzled.

          "Nonsense, you're the same size as me!" Dorothy almost looked sad.

          "I'm an android," she said, and that explained it all. She turned and walked back to the house and Gwyn watched her with tears in her eyes.

          "I forgot," she whispered, but Dorothy was already gone.

_          Dorothy grew pensive for a few days after that, but soon Gwyn had restored her to normal. I don't think Dorothy can truly get annoyed, but Gwyn came very close. She followed Dorothy around asking her simple questions. Questions any human would be able to answer easily and without through, but Dorothy thought them over carefully. Gwyn asked her what her favorite color was and if she liked hot or cold showers. I found it amusing, but I never really saw Gwyn's point until she told me that she was making Dorothy human. _

Alright kitties and toms, that's all for now, but look forward to more. An while you wait, I would encourage you to review. Please tell me Norman's last name and any other in consistencies you noticed. I didn't see the first couple of eps or the very last one.(Don't spoil it for me!)  Also I've noticed than in some fics Dorothy is either too android, or too human. Its hard to find the medium seeing as Ms. Wayneright is a little unpredictable. Lemme know what you think my Dorothy needs. 

Thanks!

~Topazwolf~

_Your sense of fashion, Roger, reeks._


	2. ch 2

**A/N: ** Okay, let me just say. I love Big O. I am obsessed with the show. If this show were a person I would marry it. Yeah, it creeps me out too.

**Summery:** Gwyn has a surprise for Dorothy. What could it be? Ah the suspense is killing me! Oh wait, no it's not b/c I already know. MWAHAHAHAHA…

**Disclaimer:** Thou ist not worthy of thy greatness of thine show. Thou hasith not the cash to pay-ist for thy copy right infringement. So thou dost not own thine Big O.

          _Gwyn was hiding something. For the past two weeks she had been sneaking out of the house. When I confronted her about it. She wouldn't tell me what was going on. She would smile mysteriously and say that it was none of my business and I would find out soon enough. In spite of myself I was worried._

"Master Roger, Miss Gwyn has gone out again," Norman told the raven-haired man. Roger sighed.

          "I know Norman, she's driving me crazy. I know she's not getting into trouble, but why won't she tell me where she's going?" Roger frowned.

          "Ah, Master Roger, you sound like a concerned father," the older man grinned at him.

          "Norman," Roger said warningly. He glared at his butler.

          "Yes, sir. I will go make your dinner now," Norman walked out of the room. Smile still on his face. Roger sat in thought for a moment before standing and walking out to the balcony. Dorothy was there, sweeping.

          "Hello Roger," she said, not looking away form her work.

          "Hello Dorothy," he noticed that Dorothy's voice was getting smoother; her words were not so harsh and jolting as they had been when he had first met her. She was picking up human speech patterns. "Can I ask you a question?" Dorothy paused and looked at him. He could have sworn she seemed confused.

          "Ask me a question?" Roger nodded. "Of course." Dorothy started sweeping again.

          "Do you think I act like a father when it comes to Gwyn?" Roger leaned on the railing and looked out over the city, not really taking in what he saw. Dorothy didn't answer right away.

          "I cannot exactly say you act like a father, but I do see that you provide her with food and shelter and any other need she might have. You protect her, and worry about her safety. She also looks like you, and seems to have some of your personality, although she is kinder," Dorothy told him. Roger smirked at the blunt android. "It also seems…"Dorothy hesitated. "It seems like you love her as a father would his daughter." Roger turned sharply to look at her, but she was still sweeping, intent on her task.

          "Thank you Dorothy," he said, and left to see if Gwyn was back.

          _I thought the day would never come when R. Dorothy Wayneright would recognize love. I realized that I had come to love Gwyn as my own daughter. These new revelations were startling. Especially Dorothy, the question continued to plague me, Can an android feel human emotion?_

          Gwyn burst into the house, full of joy.

          "Miss Gwyn, you seem happy this evening," Norman commented.

          "Never happier, Norman," she swept over to him and kissed his cheek. The old man smiled. Gwyn smiled at him and rushed off. She followed the soft melody drifting through the air to the piano room.

          "Dorothy! I have the most wonderful news," she exclaimed, sitting on the bench next to the android. Dorothy stopped playing and turned toward her.

          "What is it Gwyn?" she asked, amusement in her eyes.

          "Oh, I can't tell you yet, but you are going to love it," Gwyn sighed. "Can you teach me a new song?" Dorothy nodded and placed her fingers on the keys.

          "The upper part goes like this…"

          _For the next few days Gwyn was more excited than I had ever seen anyone. I knew she had something planned for the end of the week. Waiting was driving her crazy. She couldn't sit still. She was always swimming; she even tried jogging though the house. I was, of course, very curious, I tried to get her to tell me the big secret, being the best negotiator in Paradigm, you think I would be able to get something out of her, but she wouldn't talk. Finally the big day came._

Gwyn walked back home. It had taken her weeks to get it, but finally she had. Dorothy would be so surprised. Gwyn smiled to herself. Dorothy had become a sister to her, of sorts, and she wanted to please her. Gwyn opened the door to Roger's large house, careful not to jostle her surprise, tucked in her left arm.

          "Dorothy!" Gwyn called wandering through the house. Finally she found her, dusting some vases in one of the many living rooms. "Dorothy, I have something for you." Dorothy turned around. She looked at what the younger girl was holding. She looked surprised.

          "Oh, Gwyn," she whispered.

**The End** (no just kidding I'm not THAT mean)

          "Its for you, here take him," Gwyn took the duster and handed the small black kitten that was nestled in her arm to Dorothy. The kitten was a deep black with a small grey dot on his head. Around his fragile neck a bright blue ribbon was lovingly tied. 

          "Thank you, Gwyn Smith," Dorothy looked at Gwyn as the kitten mewed and tried to move closer to Dorothy. Gwyn smiled.

          "It's a girl," she said.

          "A girl." Dorothy repeated.

          _I would have never guessed Gwyn's gift. When Dorothy showed me the kitten, and told me Gwyn had given it to her, she looked like she could have cried. If she had tears she would have cried. Gwyn knew about Perot, and knew just was Dorothy needed, even so long after the cat's demise. Perot was no ordinary cat, of course, but a real cat was more than Dorothy could have hoped for. The cat, which she named Nox, even went when the house rules, and who was I to object? I suspect these women are stating to run my life. _

Hey! That was nifty. Kitties are so sweet and I love Perot. Okay Thanks time! Oh and just a collective thanks to everyone who told me Norman's last name! I appreciate it.

**Kuroya****-**Thanks! And way to be the 1st reviewer J

**Crystal** – Hey did you just get the image of me walking on a fence and trying to write a fic at the same time? Haha Anyway, when are you gonna write some fics?

**Braveheart** - *blushes*  Your review was so nice! I love to be the first to write a certain kind of fic. I'm glad you like it!

**Kitten05**- I'm glad you like it so far, please keep reading.

**Critara's**** Pride**- Wow thanks. And you're right about Dorothy smiling. I didn't even think about that. Hmm well just ignore it. I'll take it out eventually, thanks for pointing it out!

**Elizabeth Shaoblane**- My ultimate plan is to get people kicked out of libraries everywhere! No j/k, but that's cool, not you almost getting kicked out but that you laughed so hard J It makes me happy. I wonder which she does prefer…

**PiKACHUFAN4288**- No review is too long! It's so cool you think my fic is good. Warm and fuzzy feelings!

**Silent Vixen **– Aw I liked the last episode! Well, I'm also biased b/c there was a little Roger/ Dorothy at the end when she was helping him, and well I live for them to be a couple. I still don't know what's up with RD though… hmmm. I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. Heh

**VivianeAeryn******– I'm glad 

**Mew Mew Kitten**- I hate cliff hangers too! Well here's your next chap!

**Briar** – Yeah, I thought that Heaven's Day ep really showed how human Dorothy's becoming if even ROGER forgot she was an android. I know she didn't insult Roger I the 1st chap, but she kinda did in this one. I just can't be mean to sweet ol' Roger. Lol

**Midnight**** Raven3**- Wow thanks for the great review! I love the detail. It boosts my ego…lol I like your s/n too! Very cool!

**Fallin****' from Grace**- Cool. Thanks for reading

**Jinx**- I'm just glad they started playing Big O again! I don't know what I did before it! Lol

Alright that's all. Man, sorry guys, but those are a pain in the butt to do, but I want to try and do them when I can. I don't write fics to get reviews I write because I love to and getting awesome reviews from you guys is just like even cooler, like a special privilege, not a right. I hate when people say "Oh I have to get 10 reviews before I continue." I don't think writing, even fic writing, should be about that. I'm not saying that I don't like reviews, I LOVE them to death, but I won't require them for more chaps, b/c I don't think that's what writing is about. Anyway, lemme get off this soapbox.

~Topazwolf~

_Circle and Eyeballs.__ Circles are pretty. A tasty wonderful, just like black baked beans. –Ed, Cowboy Bebop_

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